


A Butler Needs A Master

by thegreennoodle



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Gen, Haunted Houses, Kinda, Obsessive Behavior, Poison, Possession, Reincarnation, Supernatural Elements, Victorian Attitudes, ghost - Freeform, well just from seb
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-05-29 14:36:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15075239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegreennoodle/pseuds/thegreennoodle
Summary: When Ciel moves into his family's old mansion, the last thing he expected was for it to be haunted. But there's a spirit of a certain butler in there who doesn't want Ciel to leave...ever. What's a butler without a master, after all?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a revamp of a fic I wrote years ago. The original can be found [here](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8258800/1/A-Butler-Needs-a-Master%22)

“What do you mean you’re moving?”

The cry came from both Alois and Soma. They lunged forward to embrace Ciel, as if they thought he would disappear into thin air, blubbering and whining all the while. He regretted very much telling them the news in their school dining hall. People were staring. Ciel was a prideful thirteen year old, and he couldn’t stand being humiliated.

His cousin, Lizzie, had already heard about the news the move the night before, but was still upset about it. She was a year older than Ciel and very attached to him. It wasn’t like they would never see each other again but she would miss the closeness. She looked on the scene with a mix of amusement and longing. What, did she wish to join in on this spectacle?

Honestly, how did he end up with such clingy friends? He hardly even liked to be touched! This was precisely why he dreaded telling them anything.

"Will you morons get off me?" he yelled. "It's not like you're never going to see me again. I'm still going to attend this school and come to the city on weekends." All their families were wealthy and insisted their children attend a prep school in London. Nothing terribly fancy, but it would give them a better chance at being accepted into Oxford or wherever to be lawyers and politicians.

"Why are you even moving, then?" Alois asked, still hugging his friend's waist. 

"Yes, it seems like an inconvenience," Soma added. “Why not move in with me? Agni would be very happy to have you!” Most of Soma’s family resided in India. He moved to England with a relative a few years ago to study and gain life experience.

As much as Ciel liked Soma and his older cousin...that wasn’t going to happen. "It's my mother," he explained. "Her doctor says that the city air is affecting her health. We're moving into the country in order to help her improve. And will you two get _off_ of me already?"

His friends scrambled back into their seats.

"Aunt Rachel has been looking ill lately," Lizzie commented thoughtfully. "I hope it helps."

"How'd you guys even find a place so fast?" Alois demanded. "I know your family is rich but... damn."

"Apparently the manor-" he started.

"Wait, the _manor_?" Soma interrupted. "You guys are moving into a freakin' mansion? How did that happen?"

" _If_ you let me finish, I'll tell you," he told his excited friend, clearly irritated. "As I was saying, the manor has apparently been in my family for over two hundred years. The last resident was a distant cousin back in the late eighteen-hundreds. Right now, we're having modern plumbing and lights installed."

"Why has it been unoccupied for so long?" Lizzie asked. "My mother said that she and your father had just recently found out about this place. You'd think someone would have already tried to buy it before now."

"Oooh, maybe it's haunted!" Alois teased over a mouthful of potatoes. He had already turned back to his lunch.

"Don't be ridiculous," he retorted. "There's no such thing as ghosts."

He had no idea how much he was going to eat those words.

 

Truthfully, Ciel felt conflicted about moving. He wasn’t fond of sudden changes, and this move to an overly large home a half hour away from his school was definitely one of those. Going anywhere would now be very time consuming. 

Ciel also knew he was introverted and didn’t really mind spending lots of time alone, which was why his parents encouraged him having such adoring friends to bring him out of his shell. Living in a secluded manor house might cause him to regress some.

But, the move was for his mother’s benefit, and it would surely aid Ciel’s own weak lungs. He always hated the London crowds, anyway. Maybe some peace and quiet is what they all really needed.

The Phantomhive family packed up most of their belongings and drove to their new home on a sunny Saturday morning. They were keeping their London house for occasions they wanted to stay in the city for awhile. 

The old manor wasn’t too hard to locate, but they stayed ahead of the moving van to make sure it didn’t get lost. It was a pleasant drive over. Ciel and his parents admired the country scenery. After living in a city all his life, it was rather lovely to see so much untouched nature. Perhaps he would be able to spend more time outdoors now.

"So, what's this place like, Dad?" he asked. Vincent was the only one to actually see the house so far.

Vincent smiled at his son through the rear view mirror. "Well, Ciel, it's certainly very big," he said. "Some of the original furniture was preserved, and we had to buy more just to make the place look lived in. There a lot of rooms that are just sitting there, completely empty. It's also old, as you know, but it seems to be in good condition. Whoever rebuilt it did a good job."

"Rebuilt it?" he asked.

"Yes, it burned down back in eighteen eighty-eight," his father informed him. "That's how it's owner, the Earl Ciel Phantomhive, and his staff died."

"Is that the ancestor that you named me after?" he asked.

"Yes," his mother answered. "I found it when I was going through the old family archives. It was such a lovely name that I knew I had to give it to my little angel. Of course, I didn’t realize how terribly your namesake died..."

He blushed and turned back to his window. So he was going to be the next Ciel to live there, huh? He found that a bit amusing. But the news of how the last one died unnerved him some. What if Alois' ghost talk was true? 

He quickly scolded himself for thinking such nonsense. The blond always had a way of getting into his head.

"We're here!" his father announced as they pulled into the large driveway.

Ciel gasped, amazed at the sight of the manor. As expected, it was massive in size. The gray painted structure looked as grand as if it had been built just yesterday. He jumped out of the car to get a better look. Two stories high with massive windows. It seemed large enough to fit at least ten families comfortably. The roof was a pleasant shade of blue. Ivy tastefully grew along the sides. The area front of the house was paved, but he could see the forest behind the building. 

It was beautiful. It was his new home.

Ciel could have sworn that he saw a curtain move in one window. He quickly dismissed it. All the renovators were gone.

They got out of the car as the van and real estate agent pulled up. Vincent quickly went to greet him.  
"Mr. Landers, it's nice to see you again," his father greeted.

"Mr. Phantomhive, the same here," the man replied. Ash Landers had a reputation for always wearing a white suit. How daring. "Let's hope that today we don't have the same problems that we had last time."

He was going to ask what they were talking about when his father turned to him. "Ciel, why don't you go inside and look around," he suggested. "Your mother and I are going to instruct the movers. There are a few maps of the place inside so you don't get lost. Your bedroom has been marked with blue tape. Oh, and let Alice out to explore."

Ciel nodded and reached into the car to pull out the pet carrier. After their dog, Sebastian, died a few months ago, his mother decided to replace him with a Siamese cat. Ciel never thought of himself as a cat person. However, he and Alice learned to coexist. She mostly hung around Rachel, anyway. Ciel doubted he would see much of the feline now.

He opened the cage and smiled as Alice slowly crept out. “Go on, girl, it’s okay.” She went off to sniff and paw at her new surroundings.

That being done, he turned and slowly walked up the spiral staircase to the large doors. He was sure that they were going to be heavy, but they opened very easily. It almost felt like someone was opening the door from the inside. He shrugged and entered the manor. The doors were probably freshly oiled, after all.

The first thing he noticed that it was very cold. It was a startling contrast to the warm September air outside. He was also struck with the sensation that he was being watched. He told himself that he was being ridiculous and continued to wander around. 

Ciel rather liked the way the manor was decorated. It was full of cool tones and antique furniture. The floors were covered with lush carpet. He wondered if the numerous paintings on the walls depicted family members or historical figures. Was the obligatory portrait of Victoria around here somewhere?

As promised, many of the large rooms were empty. Ciel managed to discover some treasures. There was an old desk in a room by the modest library. Inside was a stack of yellowed paper and even an ink well. It would be fun to come here to study. One room contained an old billiards table and a set of darts. There was plenty of room to entertain his friends far away from his parents’ prying eyes.

He came across several locked doors whilst he explored. Whatever could they be locked for? Were they not finished yet. Oh, well. It wasn’t like he needed to go in them right this moment.

The feeling of eyes on him never left. Ciel found himself turning several times to make sure nothing was following him. Hmph. How ridiculous.

After a few hours of this, Ciel became tired and finally sought out his new bedroom. Indeed, there was a large X made of blue duct tape on the door. He was excited to see what it looked like. Was it as grand as the rest of the house?

As he reached for the knob, the door swung open, seemingly by itself. Ciel could only stop and gape. How had that just happened? After a moment, he shook his head and entered. “Must have been a breeze,” he murmured.

He was surprised when he entered the room. There was a fireplace with two large bookshelves on either side. A table and a few chairs were in front of it. He spotted a door on the opposite wall and walked toward it. He kept his face composed when it opened on its own. Was this place always so drafty?

Beyond it was where Ciel assumed his actual bedroom was supposed to be. There was an old and rotted bedpost in one corner of the room. The movers would hopefully arrive with his own bed soon. That thing was an eyesore. At least the walls were covered in a fresh coat of Prussian blue paint.

The next door acted the same as the previous two. It lead him to what had to be a dressing room. Inside was a large wardrobe and vanity. They were joined by a set of mirrors and a small bench.

"An entire room just for dressing?" he observed. “It seems like a waste of space.”

Ciel walked through the last self-opening door. This one led to a large bathroom done in white tile and porcelain. In one corner was a modern toilet. The sink and bathtub looked old fashioned, but they had updated faucets attached to them. The tub was an antique claw-foot equipped with a new faucet. He would have to be sure to have a shower head installed. He didn’t have time for a bath every morning.

He went over to the sink. He let out a gasp when he looked in the mirror above it. There was a man standing behind him! Ciel only caught small glimpses of the intruder before he spun around: pale skin, a dark suit and dark hair, and a sharp grin that Ciel knew in his very soul was mocking him. When he looked behind him, there was nobody there. 

What the hell was that?

"I must be seeing things," he muttered as he left the room to go downstairs. "There's no such thing as ghosts."

He could have sworn that he heard laughter behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Ciel dashed out of his new set of rooms. His eagerness to explore was gone, replaced with a desire to flee this massive new home.

“What the hell was that?” he gasped as he stumbled out into the hallway. “This damned place must be playing tricks on me! Too much old dust in the air, making me hallucinate!”

Such a grand manor would obviously require help to take care of. His father mentioned having a few cleaners come over once a week, but Ciel knew no one was supposed to arrive today. And definitely not sneak up behind him in his bathroom. He was sure no one else was in the room with him when he left. 

He was rather tired from the drive over. It must be some image from the crime show he’d watched last night popping up in his mind. Yeah, he would be better after a quick nap...

Something brushed against Ciel’s legs, causing him to flinch. He glanced down and sighed in relief. It was only Alice.

“Where did you come from?” he murmured as he reached down to scratch her ears.

She accepted the attention for a few moments before nipping at his fingers and walking towards his bedroom door. He reached out to stop her and then quickly scolded himself. There was nothing around here that would hurt a cat! What was he worried for?

Ciel watched the sleek feline sniff the air around her. The air grew cold around him once again. Really, they would have to look into that draft. 

Alice began to purr loudly. Her eyes closed in pleasure while her back arched. What was she doing? She acted like someone was petting her! There was no one else but Ciel around, though. Perhaps she was just missing his mother? Unsure of how to act in her new surroundings?

The same faint, low chuckling he heard in the bathroom echoed through the hallway. Good lord, he must be going mad!

The cat turned in a few happy circles before sauntering down the hallway. Ciel decided to follow. He had enough adventure for the day.

He stumbled as he took a step. When did his shoe become untied?

Before he could even begin to reach down to redo the laces, they moved on their own accord. He watched, frozen, as the white threads stretched out and twisted themselves into a uniform bow.

Ciel didn’t know how long he stood there and stared at his blue sneaker. There surely must be a gas leak in this place. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it before setting off to find his parents downstairs. Such nonsense wouldn’t dare happen around his father.

The cold feeling continued to follow him.

 

Ciel stayed close to his parents for the rest of the day. They were still getting everything in the proper order. His father had to return to the city to take care of a few things. His mother made Ciel help in directing the movers and putting the kitchenware in the proper place. 

Ciel wasn’t sure that he should be trusted with the fragile porcelain dishes and expensive coffee machine, but he had a surprisingly easy time in setting them up. They almost seemed to move on their own accord. And if half the dinner plates and cups were already up in the cabinets before he could even touch them, well, that was easy to ignore. The movers must be really earning their payment.

The kitchen was large, fit for a dozen servants running in and out to serve their masters fifty meals a day. It seemed nobles of the past were always eating. Morning tea, then breakfast, then elevenses, then lunch, than afternoon tea, then dinner, and dessert. It was a wonder anyone stayed thin. And who had time for all that? Both his parents liked to dabble in cooking, so they should have fun in here. Ciel himself couldn’t do much more than prepare a cup of tea and make a sandwich.

By the time main rooms were furnished and all their knick-knacks and odd possessions found a place, it was late evening. Ciel hadn’t realized they owned this much stuff, much less brought it over here. Was there anything left in the townhouse?

Vincent returned home just as Ciel and Rachel were sitting down on the main stairway for a break. He carried a large paper bag. “Son, I grabbed dinner at your friend Soma’s cousin’s restaurant. They gave me what they call the ‘Ciel Special!’ It’s extra mild curry!”

Ciel grumbled at that. It wasn’t his fault he didn’t like spicy food.

“Thanks, Dad, it smells great.” Ciel quickly stood. It felt like something was nudging his lower back ever since he sat down. The sensation faded as he left his impromptu seat. Really, was this another thing that needed inspection?

“Darling, will you go set the table?” his mother asked. “I need to tell your father about those curtains we forgot to bring.

“Sure, Mum.” He suspected his parents just wanted a moment alone together after being apart for several hours.

It was easy to locate the dining room. It was almost as if someone was guiding him there with a hand on his back. His family’s modest wooden table looked out of place in the large, extravagant area. Even the white tablecloth and shining silverware didn’t help much – wait, what?

Who had already set the table? Ciel walked closer to examine it. The Phantomhives weren’t sticklers on using more than one fork and such whenever they were alone, so why were there so many utensils lines against the plates? A vase filled with fresh white roses decorated the center of the table. It was accompanied by a glass pitcher full of lemon water. 

Ciel was still staring in wonder as his parents entered the room.

“Ooh, this looks lovely, Ciel!” Rachel crooned.

“Yes,” his father agreed. “Good work, son. Wanted it to be special for today, huh?” He set the bag down and pulled out a chair for his wife.

“Uh…yeah.” Ciel took his own seat and helped himself to curry and rice. Agni’s cooking was always delicious, yet he found himself picking at the bits of chicken. What the hell was going on in this place? First he was hallucinating and now it seemed the furniture was moving on its own. Maybe the apparent gas leak was causing him to black out and do chores in an unconscious state.

His father turned to him with a smile. “So, Ciel, what do you think of the place?”

“It’s definitely bigger than our townhouse,” he answered. “I think I already feel at home.” And Ciel did, hallucinations aside. It felt like he was meant to be here all his life.

His mother smiled brightly at him. “That’s wonderful! Tell us, how do you like your new room?”

He repressed a shudder, remembering his odd encounter in the bathroom. The less his parents knew of that, the better. “It’s a few different rooms connected as one. I don’t know what to do with all this space. Also, can I get a TV for my bedroom? I don’t even know where the family room is here.”

“We’ll see,” Rachel said over a sip of water. The mischievous wink she gave him offered a more affirmative answer.

“Your room belonged to the last Ciel Phantomhive who lived here,” his father informed him. “It’s the biggest one in this whole manor. You know, it’s amazing how many family heirlooms are in this building and we had no idea about it.”

Oh, great. He was living in a dead man’s room. This place was so old that every room must be touched with death. He took a bite of succulent chicken to take the morbidness from his thoughts. 

Ciel decided to change the subject. “Don’t you think it’s cold in here? I’ve been feeling a draft all day.”

Rachel looked at him with a worried expression. “I haven’t felt cold at all? Are you feeling well, darling?”

The strain of the day suddenly hit him. Ciel felt depleted of energy and just wanted to crawl into his bed.

“Actually, Mum, I’m feeling a little tired from the move.” He rose from his chair. “I think I’ll turn in early tonight.”

“Alright, Ciel,” she responded. “It was a long day for all of us. Don’t worry about your plate. I don’t mind cleaning up tonight.”

“Goodnight, son,” his father said with a smile. “Remember, your mother and I are going back into town tomorrow and you’ll be here on your own for awhile. You’ll be here by yourself for several hours, so keep your phone on and be careful.”

Ciel nodded. “I will. Love you two, goodnight.”

 

Finding his rooms again was easy. Ciel had a rather good memory, and he was sure he would have the layout of his new home memorized in no time. 

He was pleased to see that the rotted bedpost was taken out and his own luxurious bed was in its place. As inviting a sit looked, Ciel decided that he would take a bath before settling in for the night. There might still be some dust clinging to him. The last thing he needed was for his asthma to kick up.

He yawned as he opened the bathroom door. Hmm, it was a bit warm in there. A welcome change from the earlier chill.

He approached the bathtub, only intending to fill it enough to give himself a quick scrub. To his surprise, it was already full of steaming water!

“Oh, what now?” he sighed. “Has the faucet been leaking all day?”

A quick inspection revealed nothing broken. The water looked clean, too. Ciel dipped his hand in the water and swiftly pulled it back out! It was burning hot! Was there something up with the plumbing? He would have to ask Dad about it tomorrow.

“There’s no way it could have filled itself up like this,” he whispered. “I suppose there’s no point it wasting a perfectly good bath, though.”

He added cold water to make the temperature bearable before undressing and stepping in. The hot water felt lovely and relaxed him further. Yeah, this was much better than a quick scrub. Ciel closed his eyes and rested his head against the lip of the tub. After a few minutes, he began to doze off. A loud bang to his right startled him back to awareness. He jumped, causing some water to go on the floor, and looked around. To his relief, there was nobody there. But then what made that noise? 

He looked around and quickly located the source. There was a small wooden table next to him. On it were a few towels and a bathrobe. He was starting to get an uneasy feeling. Where on earth had those come from? He certainly didn't put them there. 

“I must be more tired than I thought,” he murmured. “I definitely need some sleep. Things will be normal tomorrow.”

The air had turned cold again. Ciel shuddered and quickly dried and wrapped the robe around him. Once again, the door opened for him as he walked toward it. He was going to have to figure out what was causing that. Perhaps some sort of lever in the floor? 

All his clothes were still in boxes in his room, so he didn’t bother stopping in his new dressing room.He received another surprise when he approached his bed. The blankets had already been pulled back and his pajamas were spread out on top of it.

"Mum must have done this," Ciel guessed. Who else could it have been? He had demanded that his parents stop babying him when he turned ten. He appreciated the gesture, though.

Putting on his pajamas was odd. It felt like they were moving on there own. The silky material practically glided over his limbs. He figured it was his fatigue catching up to him. But what really got to him was what happened when he climbed onto his bed. As soon as he laid down, the blankets moved themselves over him.

He let out a cry of surprise. Alright, even he had a breaking point. Ciel couldn't deny anymore that there was something going on in the house.

"That does it, who's there?" he demanded. "Show yourself!"

The room grew icy cold. He shuddered and pulled the covers to his chin, all the while watching the space next to his bed. A black spot that appeared to be made out of pure shadow appeared next to him. It stretched and gradually grew lighter until it morphed into the shape of a man. Ciel recognized the stranger’s features as the ones he saw in the bathroom mirror. 

The man was young, likely in his mid to late twenties. His eyes were brown and his black hair framed his face like raven wings. His black suit was as immaculate as it was old-fashioned. His skin was almost as pale as the white gloves on his hands. His thin lips were twisted in a wiry smirk.

He bowed at the waist. “You called, my lord?” His voice was a smooth, polished baritone.

Ciel was shocked, to say the least. He didn't actually expect for anything to happen. Especially not for some strange man to appear out of nowhere. Today just kept getting stranger and stranger.

"W-who are you?" he demanded. "And where did you come from?"

The man looked surprised. "Young Master, what do you mean? I know that you have been gone from the manor for some time, but to have forgotten me completely? Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine!" Ciel snapped. "Now answer my questions!"

"Of course, Young Master, forgive me," the man said, voice full of humor. "My name is Sebastian Michaelis, and I am the butler of this estate. I have been here for quite some time."

"How long?" he asked. "The real estate agent told us that this place hasn't been occupied for years!" Was this some crazed homeless ma squatting in his family’s historical home?

"Well, by nobody that they could see," the man, know known as Sebastian, chuckled.

"Are you saying that you're some sort of- of- bloody ghost?" he asked, aghast. Oh no, this was not happening. Ciel firmly refused to believe in the supernatural. It was all nonsense!

"Well, yes, Young Master, I am," Sebastian said with a small smile. "I have waited many years for your return."

"My _return_?" he asked, incredulous. "What are you talking about? I've never been here before today!"

"Perhaps not in this life," the man said. "But in your previous one, you lived here all your life. After you perished in the fire - along with me and the rest of the servants -, I was sure that I was never going to see you again, but here you are now! Though I must say that it was rather naughty of you to wait so long to return. It's rather rude to keep people waiting, you know."

"Are you saying that I'm some sort of reincarnation of your past master?" he spat. “That's the most preposterous thing I've ever heard in my life!"

The man gave him a condescending smile. "Of, course, sir," he said calmly, as if to sooth an angry child. "Even so, I look forward to resuming my duties as your butler. I see that you haven’t brought any other servants with you here. I can’t understand why your family would tolerate doing such menial tasks for yourselves, or why they let you be so undignified at times. Never fear, I shall be here to aid you from now on."

He had had enough of this. "Get out!" he ordered the apparition.

Sebastian placed a hand on his chest and again bowed at the waist. "Goodnight, my lord," he said before he vanished.

Ciel shuddered and pulled his blanket over his head. He tried to convince himself that what just happened was some sort of crazy dream.

"It's just my mind playing tricks on me," he murmured. “I’ll never see him again.”


	3. Chapter 3

Even though moving homes had been an exhausting endeavor, Ciel had trouble sleeping through the night. His new room had a lingering scent of paint. His bed was in a different direction. The old walls creaked. All perfectly normal things to cause restlessness. There was nothing at all to do with the strange apparition that appeared by his bedside. Absolutely not!

In fact, Ciel had done a good job of rationalizing the experience away sometime in the early hours of the morning. _Of course_ a bloody ghost didn’t appear by his bedside. How ridiculous! He was just tired. He must have drifted off as soon as he crawled into bed and dreamed up the whole experience. Yes, he’d merely been reading too many mystery novels.

Ciel didn’t recall falling asleep, but he was eventually awoken by the morning sun. He groaned and clamped his eyes shut. He was still far too tired to get up. It was fortunate that it was the weekend. Ciel could lie in bed all day if he wanted. In fact, that sounded like a plan. He snuggled deeper into his covers.

“Good morning, Young Master!”

Ciel sat up quickly. What the hell? Was there an intruder -

The curtains were opened. He hissed and covered his tired eyes with a hand to protect them from the blinding light.

After a few moments, he slowly uncovered his eyes and beheld a most unwelcome sight. The apparition from before had returned. The man – _Sebastian_ – appeared mostly solid. His black suit occasionally flickered and waved, as if the man was made of living shadows. He would become more transparent if he stood directly in a stream of light.

Beside him was a cart filled with tea paraphernalia and a set of his clothing. It was odd to see his jeans, worn blue hoodie, and trainers next to the antique Rosewood china teacup.

So...not a dream, then.

“W-What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded, voice unsteady. He didn’t want to show any weakness in front of this stranger but it was hard to stay composed when a _bloody ghost_ was in one’s bedroom.

Sebastian gave him a curious look. "My lord, I am here to help you prepare for the day," he responded, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It is already past nine o'clock. You don't want to miss breakfast, do you?" 

"For your information, I usually sleep till at least noon on the weekends," he snapped. Why was he even telling this man anything? "And I thought I told you to go away!" 

"That was last night. You said nothing about being gone this morning," the apparition said as he began to pour the tea. “And sleeping half the day away? How very lazy of you, sir.”

Ciel was too distracted by the sight of the tea to offer a retort. Had the sight of the fresh, hot liquid always appeared so lovely? Oh, Ciel had tea nearly every damn day, but seeing Sebastian prepare it was almost hypnotic.

"Today, I have prepared a simple black tea I came upon in the kitchen cupboards. Your family's selection is unfortunately lacking at the moment, but I prepared this the best I could. I hope it is to your liking." Sebastian placed the cup on the matching saucer and held it out to Ciel. 

Ciel only stared at the cup. “How the devil did you prepare this?” he asked, incredulous. “I thought you were a bloody _spirit_!”

The man chuckled softly. "Indeed I am, Young Master, but I'm quite talented at manipulating objects," he replied. "Rest assured, I shall be able to serve you with ease." 

He offered the cup again. 

Hesitantly, Ciel took the cup and braved a small sip. His eyes widened slightly at the taste. It was the best tea he had ever tasted! This was definitely the same tea his parents usually bought, but somehow the flavor was more pronounced and bold. Hell, even the milk seemed creamier and the sugar sweeter. Was this some supernatural effect?

Sebastian smirked at his reaction. "I trust that you like it, my lord?" he asked.

The boy scowled at him. This man...spirit... _thing_ was really beginning to grate on his nerves. What a cocky, presumptuous bastard! "Another thing, why do you keep referring to me as 'your lord'? I am not of nobility," he said.

"You are of the Phantomhive family, yes?" the man asked. His smug expression became perplexed.

"Yes, I am," Ciel answered. "But, while we are still wealthy, my family has not been considered nobility for many years."

The man's eyes widened in surprise. "How many years, if you don't mind my asking?" 

"Ever since the eighteen-eighties," he answered. "Since this very house...burned down."

He faltered at the former butler's change in mood. The man’s eyes were downcast and a small frown was on his lips. It must be very troubling to learn the great family he’d once served no longer had any title or authority. Ciel could tell Sebastian took great pride in his position in the household. Being a butler to a noble house must have been a large part of his identity, maybe even his whole life.

It made him feel slightly guilty. This ghost was eager to do his job after over a century and Ciel was telling him to sod off.

(How ridiculous. He didn’t owe this stranger anything.)

Sebastian straightened to face him again and smiled. "Well, no matter what, I will always consider you of high blood, _my lord_ ," Sebastian said, making sure to emphasis his new master's title. "You even act as though that were the case." 

He blushed slightly. "Yes...well..." he murmured. Damn, was he really as high strung as Alois always teased? He set the now empty teacup back on the tray. He contemplated asking for another serving.

Sebastian picked up the clothes he brought. "Now, my lord, shall we dress you?" he asked. He reached for the buttons on Ciel’s pajama top.

"Hey!" he protested. Ciel quickly flinched away from the gloved hands. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I am trying to dress you," Sebastian explained slowly, as though he were an idiot. "But first we must remove the clothes you are already wearing."

"I am perfectly capable of dressing myself!" he exclaimed. Honestly, he was thirteen years old, not three! Any pity he felt for the ghost was gone. A mild headache was beginning to form.

To his surprise, Sebastian gave him a very condescending look as he handed him the clothes. "Alright then, if you insist," he said in a mockingly soothing voice, as if to placate an angry child.

"Feel free to turn your back!" he yelled at the apparition, who was watching him carefully.

Sebastian chuckled softly and turned away. "Please hurry, Young Master," he said. "I would hate for your breakfast to get cold."

Ciel had the feeling that he was in for a long day.

 

He frowned as he pushed the leftover food around his plate with a fork. He still couldn't believe that a damned _ghost_ had made him such a decadent breakfast. Sebastian had presented him with crepes Suzette, strawberry scones, and more tea. The servant had even tied a napkin around his neck and stood by his chair when he ate. Ciel hadn’t been waited on like this since he was an infant. Even the servers at the more exclusive restaurants his family went to for special occasions didn’t go this far.

"Are you finished, sir?" the apparition asked in a polite tone.

"Yes, I am. And, um, thank you," he added. Despite whatever he thought, Sebastian wasn’t actually his butler. He wasn’t obligated to do anything like this for Ciel, who would have settled for a bowl of cereal.

A genuinely amused smile appeared on the butler's face. "No need to thank me, my lord," he said brightly. "I am merely doing my duty as your servant. Now, I shall take those dishes back to the kitchen. I shall return soon." With that, he put the dishes onto a tray and promptly disappeared.

Ciel stared at the now empty space beside him. How had Sebastian vanished so fast? He sighed and let his gaze wander around the room. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad...as long as it turned out this all wasn’t the result of a gas leak, after all.

He always wondered what it would be like to have his own personal servant. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to let Sebastian do little things like prepare tea and pick out an outfit for him. 

"I'm back, Young Master." Sebastian had returned to his side without a sound.

Ciel almost jumped out of his chair. "What the hell? You're back already?" 

Sebastian smirked and held a finger to his lips. "What sort of butler would I be if I couldn't go to the kitchen and return to my master's side in less than a minute?"

"Uh, right," Ciel said. He wasn't sure if the man actually wanted an answer to that or not.

Sebastian tutted. “My, my. You use such crude language sometimes, sir.”

“Well, excuse me!” he shot back. “Then stop saying such odd things if you want a proper answer!”

The butler smiled.

The boy scowled.

"Now, Young Master, did you have any plans for the day?" Sebastian asked.

"Well, I was planning on exploring the house and grounds more thoroughly," he revealed. It wouldn't do for him to get lost in his new home.

Sebastian smiled. "Very good, sir," he said. "With your permission, I shall give you a tour. I think you might be quite interested in this house's history."

"Hm, alright," he responded. This should be interesting. Sebastian was bound to know about the manor’s every nook and cranny.

 

There were many rooms in Ciel’s new home, and Sebastian did indeed know every one. The former butler had over a century to memorize the manor’s layout. He likely knew the place better than any of its previous owners ever did.

“Wherever shall we start, Young Master? Do you have a preference?” Sebastian’s smile was genuine. Ciel had never seem someone so eager to give a tour before. Not even those annoying people at amusement parks.

“I haven’t seen much besides my room and the kitchen, to be honest,” he said. “Why don’t you choose?” Something about giving this man any sort of decisions in things made Ciel feel oddly wary.

“Very good, sir! Follow me, then. I believe we shall start with the game room.” Sebastian held his hand out in a gesture that indicated Ciel should begin walking. 

Sebastian followed a bit behind him and directed where Ciel should step. They went to the first floor and stopped a bit away from a parlor room. After some minutes, they reached a well-crafted door of dark wood, which Sebastian stepped forward to open.

Inside was an antique billiards table in the center of the room. A dart board hung on the wall, it’s blackened state was offset by the room’s red wallpaper. A chess board rested on a small table near the corner. 

Ciel walked closer to the billiards table. Only a few painted balls remained.

“The young master would often entertain his guest here, as well as himself,” Sebastian informed him. “I salvaged what I could from the fire. My master was very fond of games, you know. I would sometimes catch him neglecting his duties in here.”

“Oh?” Ciel was amused by the thought of a young aristocrat being scolded by his own butler. He nudge done of the balls to softly collide with the others.

This was an interesting room. He would have to try and play chess in here sometime, just to see if anything felt any different.

“Where to next?” he asked.

Sebastian next led him to the ballroom. Ciel couldn’t believe the sight of it. He had always begged off the extravagant parties his parents sometimes intended, so he had never seen a proper ballroom before. It was certainly big, plenty of room for dancing and parties and buffet tables. It was odd that something like this should be in someone’s home. Ciel always thought most large social occasions should be held in a public venue while homes were retained for privacy.

“As an earl, my master was obligated to hold the occasional ball or charity event,” Sebastian informed him. “He did hate them ever so much. We spent years trying to teach him proper dancing form but he could never overcome his two left feet. It was quite an embarrassment, really.”

“I hate dancing, too,” Ciel said as he gazed out the many large windows. “I have friends who love it but it always makes me feel foolish.”

Sebastian smiled, and Ciel felt like he had just gotten the right answer in class. “I, myself, have always personally enjoyed the waltz. Perhaps I can show you one day. You never know when you might have to dance with a lady, for romantic or business purposes.”

“Maybe,” Ciel agreed , indifferent. He couldn’t imagine either of those things now, but maybe it would come up when he became older, though he couldn’t imagine how a shared dance would lead to a business deal.

“Let us continue on, sir.”

The next few hours passed quickly. Tea rooms and conservatories and parlors and guest rooms. Faded and burned pictures that hung proudly in the hallways. Jewels and vases and antique mirrors. Moth eaten rugs and frocks and leather shoes. Sebastian was wary to show him the servants’ quarters and laundry room, but Ciel insisted. There was still an old box of detergent resting on a shelf. Ciel was tempted to inspect it but afraid that it might burst on him. It wouldn’t do to become covered in chemical from over a hundred years ago. 

They went went to what remained of the library. There were scarce shelves left, and even fewer books. Some were laid out on a table, allowing Ciel to glimpse at the yellowed pages.

"We lost quite a few books in the fire, but I did manage to save some. Hopefully you can, in time, replenish it." Sebastian retrieved the books and went to place them in back on a shelf, muttering something about being careless.

Ciel tried to imagine this large area filled to the brim with novels and texts and penny dreadfuls. It made the scant collection seem even more pathetic. How many times had Sebastian read these same, what, ten books over the years? Did he have any favorites that had burned?

"That reminds me, Sebastian," he said. "Who exactly rebuilt this manor? Why would they even bother?"

" _I_ rebuilt it, young master," the spirit replied with a hint of pride in his voice.

"You did?" he asked incredulously. "How is that even possible? You're not even alive!"

Sebastian only chuckled at the boy's shock. "Oh, it did take quite a bit of time," he said "but I simply couldn't allow my master's house to stay in such a horrid state. And if I hadn't, you would not be here now, would you?"

"I suppose not," he said quietly. He wasn't sure if he believed the butler or not. There was no way that could be possible…

“Now, my lord, I believe it’s getting close to afternoon tea time,” Sebastian said. “You must tired from the tour. Would you like for me to serve you in the dining room?”

“That sounds fine,” he agreed. Now that the man mentioned it, his legs were rather sore.

They exited the library and started the trek downstairs. On the way, they passed one of the doors that Ciel found locked on his first exploration of the manor yesterday. Curiosity overcame him. What could possibly need to be locked in this place?

Sebastian could surely open it for him. “Hey -”

"Oh my, look at the time!" Sebastian suddenly exclaimed. He had pulled out a silver stopwatch. “It’s later than I had thought. I believe we’ve missed your lunch, too. You must be famished, sir. Forgive me for this grievous error. I shall prepare you something with haste.”

Ciel’s stomach growled with anticipation. He was suddenly very eager to get downstairs, especially if Sebastian’s tea service was as good as his breakfast.

"I'm afraid that we won't have time to tour the grounds today. I hope that young master is not too disappointed?" Sebastian asked as they reached the stairs.

“Not at all,” he replied. He was now only thinking of food. “We can do it some other time.”

“Very good, sir.”

It wouldn’t be until later that Ciel remembered the mysterious locked door, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d somehow been tricked.


End file.
